Part Four
Answers to questions posed by members at the annual
HOLA Membership Meeting January 14, 2008

Read by Manny Alfaro, A.B. Lugo, Blanca Vásquez,
Jean-Marc Berne and Raquel Gutiérrez Rivela

• I would like to see HOLA produce showcases for HOLA members.

The last HOLA sponsored showcase was produced in 1989 and it starred John Leguizamo. In 1990, The New York State Council on the Arts changed its funding formula for HOLA and it became advisable for HOLA not to produce. A separate producing division of HOLA would have to be created whose primary function would be to seek support for such a project, a very difficult thing to do.

• Is it possible to have a language workshop for English dominant Latino actors?

It all depends on the will of the membership. To learn how to speak Spanish from zero will take many weeks of classes and homework. If you are a Spanglish speaker, it may be easier to create a workshop. Listeners can email us and ask at what level they think they are at. Depending on the response, we will then attempt to create one. No promises.

• What is HOLA going to do to help the Hispanic Theater movement to get a special Equity contract for those theaters that produce in both languages, English and Spanish? HOLA can only encourage Equity to open is mind to organizing Spanish language theatre. But, Equity already has special contracts that can be adapted to cover combined Spanish and English productions.

The problem lies in the size of the overall seating that commands the rate structure to be paid to the actors. Contracts can be adjusted to cover special guest artists while the balance of the cast can remain nonunion. If you are asking if it is possible to create an all Equity contract for theaters under 99 seats paid at a lower rate than is paid in Special Guest Artist contracts, you would have to ask Equity to create one for you. It would be best to call the union and ask for a business agent that covers Off Broadway and ask for an appointment. Keep in mind that once you become a union member through an all Spanish language contract you may then prohibited from working nonunion, even if it’s another Spanish only theater.

The preceding has been a series of prepared questions submitted by members of the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA) during its annual membership meeting this past January 14, 2008. The answers were prepared and recorded by HOLA staff and participating HOLA members